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Languages
What people speak can influence a lot of things about them and their setting. Languages are important. Istaria, as a world, has a very diverse language base on each of its contidents. This list is specific to the 'modern era', that is the time during the war with the Withered Aegis. Some languages in whatever game you are in may be different, or some of the languages might not be available to you. Drac will let you know if this is so! Planar These languages are the languages of the planes beyond the Prime, the elemental languages and the evil and divine languages. Kwellen is the tongue of the Blightlands and of various 'demonic' entities (so called beacuse of one of the nastiest and most visible forms of demons known as Kwellian), as Celestial is the tongue of the Gods. Both have two forms, High Kwellian and Kwellian Common. High Kwellen is the religious version of the language, used for ceremony and only for everyday speech by the blight dukes themselves. For demons and mortals, the Common Kwellen is used as their everyday speech, containing even such quirks as slang. Both have a somewhat eerie feel, though high Kwellen has an even more eerie feel, sort of slithering down your spine. It is also somewhat more archaic in tone. Celestial is somewhat different. Pure Celestial contains mental and other elements that mortals cannot easily replicate, if at all, hence the Common Celestial variant, which is a completely verbal version of the tongue. They tend to have a ringing sort of note to them, and it is difficult to tell the difference between them. Ignan is the language of the fire realm, blazing with power and crackling with the primal fury of fire. Auran is the language of the Realm of Air, bubbling and tonal, seeming to be a part of the wind itself. Aquan is a secretive language, the language of the Realm of Water. It slides and burbles and sighs with secrets unknown. Terran, with it's undertones of gravel and stone, is the language of the plane of Earth. It is language as clear as crystal and as patient as stone. _ Other These languages are mortal tongues, but they are not limited by contident. Instead, the Folk that speak them are spread over the world. The Vielo: The plane-crossing nomadic Vielo have two languages, one (Vielo) they use among their own kind, a hard-to learn language that they dont encourage outsiders to know, and their'' Trade-Tongue, the Vielo language that they share with outsiders for the sake of trading. To know the private tongue of the Vielo is to be held in such impossibly high regard by the wide spread nomadic megafamily that very few mortals have done so. Both tend to be fast-spoken flowing languages with a heavy emphasis on the “hA” and the “Al” sounds. '''Sirenni' is the language of the merfolk that lurk in the deep oceans, reefs, and trenches. Their population is very mobile, and so, aside from slightly different dialects and accents, they use a single common language from place to place. It is a language meant to be sung and has a hypnotic effect on many other mortals. Harpitongue is the foul and disgusting tongue of the Harpies. While predominantly Aradothean, they are also found in the Western regions. It is shrill and full of disturbing notes. Druidic is the common language of druidic folk across Istaria, a nature language that ha dark earthy notes and high sunny notes, just like the trees they protect. Non-druids are forbidden to know it or - in some cases - to use it (as in, if they learned it as children or by accident) Deadlands These are the languages spoken specfically in the blighted lands conquered and held by the Aegis, apart of course from the Kwellen tongue. Old Imperial is spoken mainly by the old guard necromancers, the members of the original cabal from the Age of the Sorcerer. It is an older form of the Aradothean common language, different by virtue of being 200+ years older. While somewhat understandable by speakers of Modern Imperial, it has enough differences to be considered a seaparate language. It sounds archaic to modern ears, and often lends a peculiar accent to these older necromancers. Some of the Newer necromancers know it as well, but this is phazing out in favor of modern imperial. F'kya is the spidery language of the Fyakki, a language heavy on clicking and hissing. It sends chills up the spines of many humanoid mortals, even some necromancers used to working with the insects. Vash or Vashhi is a screeching, almost crooning language known by the sly undead Ulvashhi vulture-folk and spoken to their bizzare Sogrovashhi pets. It has many sounds reminiscent of parrots. Most necromancers think they know Vash but the truth is it is a complicated language and they only use a simpler syntax to speak to necromancers. It is not so different that it would constitute separate languages, but the Ulvashhi use it to keep their secrets secret. Goldtongue '''is spoken by the traitorous rabbitfolk, the Straw Tribe Usi-O, the noble Usi-O caste that abandoned their own kind for the Aegis. It is tonal and soft, and has a wheedling tone, giving it a tendancy to make listeners pay attention, witting or unwittingly. It is one of the few 'living' languages spoken in the deadlands. '''Ragtongue is spoken by the Straw Tribe's slaves, the Ragged Tribe Usi-O. It is used for private communication amongst themselves, and the straw tribe is forbidden from learning it. It is used for the private rituals and rites of the slaves. To outsiders, they speak in broken imperial. Ghostspeak '''is the universal language of ghosts and spirits, a haunting ethereal language consisting of what, to uneducated ears, sound as low moans. It is not meant for living lips, but can be managed understandably. Aradothean: These are the languages spoken by the living races on the Contident of Aradoth in the Age of Empires. '''Imperial or ''Tazoonite'' is the most commonly spoken language, since it is the official language of the Tazoon empire, the alliance between the races that has fostered the cooperation that has saved the Aradothean living races from the Aegis thus far. It has clear origins in Dalmondan (though, some woudl argue, its closer to Barasavian), but borrows some word forms and tenses from Dragonic, Elvish and Kionyi and - these days - Stara, making it a very utilitarian and wide-ranging language that takes on accents easily. Dalmondan is the language of the agrarian folk of the Kingdom of Dalimond, with many rumbling “R” sounds and an earthen tone. Morathavian is the language of the northern human Kingdom of Morathavia, whose language has many Mahgran and Fiendish influences, but has a sharp, icy flavor of it's own. Elfish (or Gannadran) is a flowing language spoken by the Elves of the Feladan woods. It is smooth and melodic, even when harsh and militant, much like the elves themselves. It is a gendered language that is pleasant to listen to. Fiendish or, to some, ''Niathan,'' is a very magically powerful language spoken by the Fiends of Kirasanct, derived from the languages used by the magic users they are descended from. Though it uses some Mahgran derived words, it is very different in that it is a gendered, precise language with a heavy emphasis on rolling “l” and “o” sounds. It is adopted by many magic users of other species, and is second only to the planar languages and Draconic in terms of raw verbal power. '''Ssliss' is the common language spoken by the Sslik of the southern jungles of Lesser Aradoth. It is a language punctuated by deep hisses and squawks that sound like the random sounds of animals to the ignorant observer. Kionyi is the official Saris language, spoken in Kion, the city built on the sand dunes of lesser Aradoth, which the highest concentration of saris and saris varieties on Istaria, let alone on Aradoth. It is a language light in tone and fitting for a sunny place such as Kion, and heavily features feline noises such as meows. Tunyi is a saris dialect from the saris varieties of the northern tundras. Though these saris migrated to Kion in the age of Lamentations, the ethnic identity is still recognized and the language is still taught. It is, like Kionyi, a very feline language, but adopting some of the berevity of Mahgran and with many deeper notes and somewhat different syntax. Draconic or simply ''Dragon'' is the language of the dragons, heavily derived from Ignan, but given the earthy tones of Terran. It is a rich, booming language as beautiful as crystal and as harsh as the land that they call home. Mahgran is the language of the Half-Giants and people living in the tundras and in the more hospitable parts of the Char. It is a rough, gutteral language with buzzing notes that tends to get to the point without much linguistic dancing about the subject. Stara is the gnomian everyday language, full of description words and with an almost poetic tone to it. It is a difficult but fun language, after all, there are few languages that have entire books written about how to call your boss a moron. Stara is very flexible and useful. Stara-Ko, while using much the same vocabulary as Stara, is very different. It is the gnomian technical language, made to be precise and clear. It's vocabulary, while using the same words and alphabet as Stara, is slimmed down. What it takes away in variety and flexibility it makes up for in preciseness and clarity. It has proven a phenomenally useful language for scientific and technological pursuits, and is considered to be the Aradothean language of science. Brobbegurn is the language of dwarves, consisting of deep, basso rumbles. It is a rigid tongue following rigid rules of ritual, echoing well in the tunnels that the dwarves call home. Sylvan is a raw, primal forest language adopted by the Satyr. It is both gruff and light in tone, and lends itself well to song. High Sylvan is far more refined, spoken by the Dryads. It is high in pitch and has a more set syntax and vocabulary than Sylvan, though the two are close enough to share basic vocabulary. It is more flowing and chittery than it's gruff counterpart. Takaitun '''is the language that the Nissians in the Granitefall mountains and in the Spirit Realm speak. It is tonal and poetically beautiful, comprised of high, chirping notes and lower softer notes. (think Hindi combined with Japanese). It has some influences of ghost-speak but is a wholly individual language. '''Skulk is spoken by the amphibious creatures of the southern penninsula and wetlands. It is simple and cruel, and has no relation to any known language. Xin The northern region of the Eastern Contident, Xin, has it's own compliment of languages. Though not as diverse and populated as the other regions, its rich culture and the personal involvement of its god has produced a land of very complex and intricate languages. Xingwei is a tonal language that serves as the common language of the region. It's origin is unknown, possibly tied to the ruins in the southern desert, but it is in such common use that few care. It was mainly adopted by the Multi-Casted Usi-O and taken up by the other races in the region to foster trade. Redtongue is spoken by the shapeshifting Red Tribe warrior caste of the Usi-O rabbitfolk. It is gutteral and to the point, very little in the way of poetry can be made from it, though it works as a bass note in song. Quicktongue is the language of the Black Tribe, the stealthy informant caste of the Usi-O. It is, as the name suggests, fast, spoken like quicksilver. It is full of description and double meanings, an excellent language for informing and lying, the things that the black tribe does well. Cloudtongue is the language of the White Tribe, the priestly caste, of the Usi-O. It is flowery and poetic and convoluted. The other Tribes know basic Cloudtongue for religious purposes, but only the White Tribe knows the full extent of the language. Azukyi is the saris language spoken by the bobtailed saris of Xin. Like the other saris languages, it is a heavily feline language, though it relies less on tail gestures due to the lack of tails in the saris population and more on tone of meow. It has a similar linguistic and Syntactic pattern to Xingwei, but a different vocabulary. Faza, spoken by the penguin-like Friznei of the Northern pole of Istaria, is a very emotionless language. It is a language heavy on separate modifiers for words, and as such takes a while to say what, for simple languages such as many of the Aradothean languages, would take mere moments. Lantania The Lantanian languages come from the large southern region of the Eastern Contident, south of the deadlands and the desert that separate it from Xin. It is full of many cultures, each striving against the other and competing. A crowded land, many languages have sprung into being. Barasavian is the common language of Lantania, since the Barasavian empire of the humans once extended to the region and conquered the humans there before it's dissolution. It is similar to Imperial in certain elements of it's syntax and alphabet, but the similarities, derived from it's Barasavian roots, end there. Altamnian '''is similar to Aradothean Elvish in some of it's tones, but it is otherwise a far more arrogant language, far more pretentious and harsh than elvish, and with a vocabulary more similar to Lantanian Barasavian. '''Daystep is the tongue of the nomadic humans of the Lantanian savannahs, and of most of the slaves of the Altamnians. It is quiet and rhythmic, and has an almost soothing quality to nonspeakers. It is called such because much of it is based on the time of day, and words for 'light' and 'sun' figure heavily in it. Nightstep is the language of the humans enslaved by the Altamnians, a sort of pidgeon of Altamnian, Barasavian and Daystep that has become it's own thing. It is indecipherable to their winged masters. It sounds garbled, but when sung, is oddly enchanting and ennervating. It is said to also be strangely good with magical applications. It is called nightstep because, unlike the nomads, they are not free. Joma or ''Jomm'' is the tongue of the civilization of humans In the Western jungles. It is an elegant and rich language of long “o”s and “m”s. Rijuu is the language of the humans in the tropical southern Lantanian penninsula. Kaju or ''Kajuu'' is the language of the humans on the Eastern Coastlands of Lantania. It is a sweet and colorful language, much like the fruit trees that the coastal humans grow in great number. Rith '''or 'Rithuu' is he language spoken by the humans on the Western Coastlands of Lantania. It is heavy on “Itho” sounds, and is remarkably easy to learn for most humans. '''Hop-Hop, often mistaken as'' Hoppop'' but actually called "Aikari", is the language spoken by the Aikaru Kangaroo-folk of the Lantanian Savhannahs. It is a Tough-talking language whose gruffness belies the gentle and friendly nature of it's speakers. Uuntakin is the language spoken by the intelligent spiders of the Lantanian Western and Southern jungles. It is heavy on clicking and spitting, and has vibrational and tactile elements, making it difficult for many humanoids to speak it. It is, however, surprisingly poetic. Fortunately, the mild telepathy of the spiders makes it possible to be understood. Makimaki , or ''Ikii'' for short, is the language of the Gokiki Monkeyfolk of the southern forests and plains, though they have a wide distribution. It is whimsical and cheerful, a great language for puns and jokes. Assishunni is the language of the Assiri, the jungle-dwelling snake folk. It is a hissing, sinuous language that weaves words like thread into intricate tapestries. Miumyi is a saris dialect spoken by the lean and predatory jungle saris. Like all saris dialects, it is a very feline language, but it has many snarling sounds replacing the lighter meows, and it isn't as flexible as many of the other saris dialects. It is more focused, more ferocious, more direct. Rurnyi is the Saris dialect of the Savhanna dwelling saris, a language of jubilant and loud sounds. It does not lend itself well to whispers. Ammu is the language of the cruel yakfolk of the cold southern mountains. It is a language of soft, menacing murmurs and the rare shrill note. Rakshasa is the language of the cruel, almost mythical tiger people of the southern lands, a language that is very feline, a language full of deep purrs and confidence. Pastao Pastao is the Western Contident and the large archepelago nearby. Its goddess is not often involved in its politics, content to be worshiped and honored. Ponhummi is the smooth language that serves as the common Pastao tongue, able to be articulated by the varied mouthparts of the region. Lum '''is a very simple language spoken by the stoic and enigmatic beetlefolk known as Lumites that live on the coastal plateaus on the Pastao Mainland. It is gruff and gutteral, with very little complexity or nuance. '''Gobligung is the language spoken by the Goblins in the mountains on the mainland, a popping language that works well in their mining and engineering enterprises. EeEe is the squeaking and shrill language of the kobolds. It is an unusually energetic language that many find difficult to replicate or follow. Mu is the language of the peaceful Muusi mouse people who are the religiously oriented race of Pastao, mediating between and respected by the warring Formians and Abeils. It also serves as the main religious language of the Mainland races. Asur and the -i and -o variants are the language of the water and air elemental dragon race known as the Asiura. It is a laughing language, though the male tongue (Asuri) is more so than the syrupy female tongue (Asuro). It is excellent for conveying complicated philosophical concepts. Opurrnyi is the saris dialect of the saris living in the mountains of the Pastao mainland and the larger islands. It is feline, like most saris dialects, but has several howling notes to it. It has an alternate form, used for communication via the echoing ridges of their homeland. Ponesian is the language of the island humans, the kind of spicy language you would hear shouted out over a bazaar.